RU2075977C1 - Inhalator to be used together with medicinal block - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medicine. SUBSTANCE: method deals with inhalation device to be used together with medicinal block in which the contours of at least one container for powdered medicinal substance are specified between two plates fastened to each other with possibility for subsequent separation. Inhalator contains means to separate the plates from each other in opening section to open the container, and output section connected with opened container that will help the user to inhale powdered medicinal substance due to opened container. EFFECT: higher efficiency. 24 cl, 39 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to an inhaler by which a user can inhale a drug substance in powder form.

 Inhalers are known for use in conjunction with exhaust swabs and in which a powdered drug substance is held in the exhaust swabs themselves. Such inhalers contain a piercing element that sequentially punctures each exhaust swab, thereby allowing the drug substance to escape from it and enter the patient's airways.

 UK application N 2129691, which is the closest analogue, describes such a device in which the protrusions are placed in a circle and mounted so that they can be rotated and in turn led to the piercing element and the outlet device through which the contents can be inhaled.

 The aim of the present invention is to provide an inhaler, the design of which would provide for the possibility, if necessary, of using and manipulating a drug unit containing a large number of different unit doses, moreover, this inhaler will be quite compact.

 In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an inhaler for use with a drug unit in which a contour of at least one container for a powdered drug substance is outlined between elements attached to each other so that they can be separated later. This inhaler comprises means defining the contours of the opening section for at least one container; means for separating said elements from each other in said opening section, followed by opening the container itself and an outlet communicating with the open container and through which the user can inhale the powdered drug substance directly from the open container.

 It is preferable that the drug block is formed of two elongated plates that will define the contour of a plurality of drug containers spaced a certain distance from each other along the entire length of the plates; Means are provided for alternately indicating each container with respect to the opening section.

 The invention also provides for the formation of a drug unit, which will be used in the proposed inhaler. This medicinal unit contains an elongated strip formed from a main plate provided with a plurality of recesses spaced at intervals relative to each other along its entire length and from the cover plate hermetically, but with the possibility of separation attached to the strip to determine the contour of the plurality of containers, each container contains inhaled medicinal substance in powder form. It is preferred that said strip be sufficiently flexible and flexible so that it can be wound onto a roll.

Figure 1 shows a rear view of the first embodiment of the invention;
in FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the components shown in FIG. 1 disassembled version;
in FIG. 3a, b, an axonometric image, a longitudinal projection and an end view (with a partial tear-out) illustrating the one used in the embodiments of FIG. 1 and 2 coupling;
in FIG. 4 a, b axial and transverse sections, respectively (on a larger scale than in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the mouthpiece, which can be used in the first embodiment of the invention (or in some other embodiment of the invention);
in FIG. 5 is a front view of a second embodiment of the invention with the cap removed to better demonstrate the inside of the inhaler;
in FIG. 6 is a rear view of a second embodiment of the invention illustrating the inside of an inhaler;
in FIG. 7 is an axonometric front view of a second embodiment;
in FIG. 8 is an axonometric rear view of a second embodiment;
in FIG. 9 is an exploded axonometric view of the second embodiment;
in FIG. 10 is a front view of a third embodiment of the invention illustrating an internal structure of an inhaler;
in FIG. 11 is an axial section on a larger scale illustrating a mouthpiece according to a third embodiment of the invention;
in FIG. 12 is a bottom view of a third embodiment of the invention;
in FIG. 13 to 16 show a fourth embodiment of the invention:
FIG. 13 is a bottom view, FIG. 14 is a section along line A A of FIG. 13, FIG. 15 is a section along line B B of FIG. 13 and FIG. 16 disassembled view on a smaller scale;
in FIG. 17 to 19 show successive stages of the operation of the fourth embodiment of the invention; FIG. 17, b is a section along line A A of FIG. 17 a;
in FIG. 20 to 23 show a fifth embodiment of the invention; FIG. 20 is an end view, FIG. 21 is a section along line A A of FIG. 20, FIG. 22 is a section along line B - B of FIG. 20 and FIG. 23 disassembled;
in FIG. 24 to 27 show a sixth embodiment of the invention: FIG. 24 is a section along line A A of FIG. 25, FIG. 25 is an end view, FIG. 26 is a section along line B B of FIG. 25; FIG. 27 disassembled;
in FIG. 28 32 show a modified coupling that can be used in the above embodiments of the invention in which it is needed; the drawings respectively show a front view, a top view, a rear view, a view from the left side and an axonometric view;
in FIG. 33 is a perspective exploded view illustrating yet another embodiment of a sleeve that can be used in the invention;
in FIG. 34 is a perspective exploded view of yet another embodiment of a sleeve that can be used in the invention;
in FIG. 35 is a cross-section through that shown in FIG. 31 clutch;
in FIG. 36 38 show successive operating positions of yet another embodiment of the invention, a rear view and
in FIG. 39 is a perspective view on a large scale illustrating a variant of a dosage unit of the present invention.

 Turning now to FIG. 1, 2 and 3, a, b, which shows an inhaler, in which a flexible strip 1 is installed, which defines the contour of many pockets 2, each of which contains a dose of a medicinal substance that can be inhaled, and this substance has a powder form. Strip 1 contains a main plate 3, on which, in order to determine the contour of the pockets 2, blisters and a cover plate 4 are formed, which is hermetically sealed on the main plate 3, with the exception of the locations of the blisters, so that it is possible to separate the cover plate from the main plate. These plates are hermetically sealed relative to each other over the entire width, with the exception of the leading end parts, where it is recommended not to seal them in a hermetic manner. It is preferred that each coating and base plate be made of a laminate composed of plastic and aluminum; It is also recommended that the cover and the main plate adhere to each other as a result of thermal compaction. As an example, for the manufacture of a cover plate, a laminated material consisting of bleached kraft paper (one square meter of paper is 50 g) (polyester film 12 μm thick (PETP-polyethylene terephthalate) (soft aluminum foil 20 μm thick / sealed by exposure heat vinyl varnish with the possibility of its subsequent separation, one square meter of which weighs 9 g (with the possibility of sealing on polyvinyl chloride); and for the manufacture of the main plate, you can use layered material consisting of from polyvinyl chloride 100 microns thick / soft aluminum foil 45 microns thick oriented polyamide 25 microns thick.

 The varnish of the coating material is hermetically sealed on the polyvinyl chloride layer of the material of the base plate to form a seal between the cover and the base plate of the release plate.

 In the accompanying drawings, strip 1 is shown with elongated pockets formed thereon, which are transverse to the length of the strip. This is convenient in the sense that it makes it possible to form a large number of pockets on a particular strip length. On this strip, for example, sixty or one hundred pockets can be formed, however, it should be borne in mind that this strip can have any acceptable number of pockets.

 The inhaler contains a housing 10, which determines the contours of the three storage chambers, namely the chamber 11, in which the strip 1 is located and from which it will be unwound, the chamber 12 for receiving the used part of the main plate 3, and from the chamber 13, inside which the used part cover plate can be wound on the wheel 14. In the chambers 11 and 12 are suitably curved leaf springs 28 and 29, the purpose of which will be disclosed below. The said housing defines the contour of another chamber 15, in which there is a gear wheel of the indicating mechanism 16. This wheel is provided with a plurality of grooves 17 that extend parallel to the axis of the gear wheel 16. The grooves are spaced or spaced equal to the distance between the center lines of adjacent pockets 2 The chambers 11, 12, 13 and 15 are closed by a cover 30. The chamber 15 communicates with the chambers 11, 12 and 13 through channels 31, 33 and 32, respectively.

 The chamber 15 communicates through the slot 18, which in turn is rubbed vertically upward inside the mouthpiece 20. The slot 18 also communicates with the air inlets, which will be described in more detail below in connection with the description of the specific mouthpiece shown in FIG. 4 a, b. The mouthpiece 20 is provided with additional air inlets 21, which are shown here as a pair of round holes, although they may also have a different shape, for example the one shown in FIG. 4, a, b. The main function of the additional air inlets 21 is to provide an additional flow of air to the mouth of the user, and therefore reduce the resistance to the inhalation process; they can also perform some other additional functions, for example those that are schematically shown in FIG. 4a, b, and which will be described in more detail below with reference to the aforementioned drawings.

 Means are provided by which the user can rotate the gear of the display mechanism and the winding sleeve of the cover plate in stages by a predetermined amount. This means comprises a ratchet wheel 22 and a gear wheel 23, which are interconnected to rotate in unison with the gear wheel of the indicating mechanism 16; a lever 24, designed to rotate around the same axis around which the ratchet wheel 22 and the gear wheel 23 rotate, the latter rotating independently of the wheel 22, and the gear wheel 25, which engages with the gear wheel 23 and is designed to provide rotation of the winding sleeve the cover plate 14. On the lever 24 is the shoulder of the pusher 26, the end of which will be engaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 22. The teeth of this ratchet wheel also mesh with the dog 27, which is fixedly fixed it is connected to the housing 10. The gear 25 will not be directly connected to the sleeve 14, but is connected to it indirectly through the safety friction clutch 50, which is located inside the sleeve 14; the reasons for such a connection will be described below, when the principle of operation of the device according to this embodiment of the invention will be described. The effect of using the safety friction clutch is that the sliding between the cover plate winding sleeve and the gear wheel 25 occurs when the force required to rotate the cover plate winding sleeve exceeds a predetermined level.

 The clutch 50 includes a disk 51, provided with radially extending serrations 52 or other surface roughness that is held in working engagement with an identically toothed or rough surface 53, which is formed on the end surface of the sleeve 14, by means of a compression spring 54. Spring 54 alone its end abuts against the inwardly directed surface 55 of the sleeve 14, and the other end abuts the nut 56, which is screwed onto the bolt 57.

 The device described above can be made reusable, that is, a device that can be reused after all doses of the drug substance in the pockets 2 have been used up. In this case, it is possible to provide free access from the user to the inside of the inhaler, for example, as a result simply removing the cap 30 so that a new strip 1 can be inserted here. On the other hand, the proposed inhaler can be regarded as a disposable device Bani, which become useless after the depletion of the strip located therein.

 In any case, at the time of initial use of the inhaler, the entire volume of the strip 1 is inside the chamber 11, and with the help of a spring 28 this strip is held in the chamber in the form of a tightly wound roll and only a short part of the strip on the side of its leading end extends beyond the chamber 11 through the channel or the passage 31 towards the gear of the indicating mechanism 16. The very extreme part of the leading end of the strip is delaminated so that the leading end of the cover plate 4 can be fixed on the sleeve of the cover 14 and so traveling end of the main plate 3 can be inserted into the passage or channel 33. The end of the covering plate 4 is held in place on the hub cap 14 by keys 34 which forcibly inserted into the cutout 35 formed on the hub 14.

 If the user wants to use the inhaler, he must first push the lever 24 in a counterclockwise direction (see Fig. 1) so that the shoulder of the pusher 26 acts on the ratchet wheel 22 and causes it to move at an angle equal to the angular distance between adjacent teeth . Such an effect will cause the wheel 16 to rotate at an angular distance that will be equal to the pitch of the groove 17, and therefore equal to the distance between two adjacent pockets 2 located on the strip 1. This movement will have the pocket 2 opposite the slot 18 in the housing 10. Since the ratchet wheel 22 and the gear 23 rotate in unison and since the gear 25 engages with the gear 23, the movement of the lever 24 will also cause the hub 14 to rotate. This ensures that a sufficient part of the cover is separated guide plate 4 by the main plate 3 to expose the contents of the pocket 20 and the content itself is aligned with respect to slot 18.

 If the user inhales a stream of air through the mouthpiece 20, then this formed stream of air will also capture the powder in the open pocket, and therefore this powder will enter the user's respiratory system. One way to achieve this effect will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiment of the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 4, a, b. Each time the above procedure is repeated, an additional length of the cover plate will be wound around the sleeve 14, and an additional length of the main plate will enter the chamber 12 through the passage 33. The leaf spring 29 located here guarantees the correct winding of the main plate and eliminates the possibility of jamming of the plate on the walls of the chamber 12.

 One of the consequences of winding the cover plate on the sleeve 14 is that the outer diameter of the sleeve plus the plate wound on it will gradually increase. If a friction clutch had not been used to connect the gear 25 to the sleeve 14, then the successive operations of the lever 24 would seek to force the ever increasing length of the cover plate to be wound on the sleeve. However, the use of a safety friction clutch 50 eliminates this negative tendency, and each time this clutch slides a distance sufficient so that with each operation of the lever the length of the wound cover plate is exactly equal to the pitch of the pockets 2.

 In FIG. 4a, b, a part of the gear of the indicating mechanism 16 is shown together with pocket 2, this illustration being directly related to the mouthpiece, which differs slightly from the mouthpiece 20 shown earlier in FIG. 1 3, and which in FIG. 4a, b is indicated by 12. The mouthpiece 120 is provided with air inlets 140, which have already been generally outlined in connection with the consideration of FIG. 1 3, as well as a central outlet for powder 119, one end of which is open toward pocket 2, and the other end of which is open toward the inside of mouthpiece 120.

 When the user begins to inhale through the mouthpiece 120, this action causes the air flow to pass through the inlets 140, and therefore through the pocket 2, and then enter the powder outlet 119 and exit through the mouthpiece 120. Due to this direction of air flow through pocket 2 provides sufficient capture of the powder by the air flow, and consequently, sufficient emptying of the pocket itself. The mouthpiece 120 is provided with additional air inlets 121 (four such openings are shown in FIG. 4, b), which tangentially open in the mouthpiece. When the user takes a breath, the air is drawn into the mouthpiece not only through the air inlets 140, but also through the additional air holes 21, the air entering through the air inlets 121 creating a swirling air stream that helps to evenly distribute the powder within the air stream and reduces the intensity of the deposition of powder on the inner surface of the mouthpiece. It also helps to better crush any powder lumps that might have formed inside blisters or pockets.

 In FIG. 28 32 shows an alternative coupling device. In these drawings, the gear of the indicating mechanism 16 and the hub 14 have corresponding gears 63 and 64, which are attached to them for joint rotation with them. In FIG. 30, the direction of rotation of the gears is shown by an arrow.

 The gear wheel 63 has a gear surface 65, the teeth of which are located continuously over the entire surface and with a constant interval between each other. In contrast, the gear wheel 64 has a gear surface 66, on which some teeth are missing due to the formation of radially extending cutouts 67 here. The circumferential width of each cutout on the surface 66 is equal to one tooth pitch. In the drawings shown there are three such cutouts, however, it should be borne in mind that in fact one, two or more than three cutouts can be located here. On one side of each of the cutouts 67 (actually above or up from each cutout, when viewed in the direction of rotation of the gear wheel 64), a gear surface 68 is located between the cutout 67 and the narrow slot 69. The radially inward end of each slot 69 communicates with the hole 70 so that each gear part 68 was connected to the rest of the gear wheel 64 only through the shoulder 71. The gear wheel 64 or at least those parts of this wheel that form the shoulders 71 are made of material that allows elastic bending back and forth in the circumferential direction. In the aforementioned drawings, the parts 68 are shown at rest, however, if a force is applied to the parts 68 in the direction of rotation of the gear 64, these parts 68 can be moved to close the gap 67 at the radially external end. This has the effect that a tooth is “skipped" not at the end of cutout 67, but at the end of cut 69.

 If the circumferential force exerted by the gear wheel 63 on the gear wheel 64 is less than a predetermined level, then the gear parts 68 remain in their idle state, and the gear wheel 64 behaves as if it had a continuous gear surface, such as which the gear wheel 63 has. However, if the load exceeds a predetermined level, then each time the gear part 68 is engaged with the gear wheel 63, it will mix in a circle to overlap the cutout 67 at its outer end and open the gap s 69. This movement of the toothed portion 68 by a distance equal to the step tooth has a gear wheel slip effect formation of 64 with respect to the gear wheel 69 equal to one tooth step. Therefore, the described device is capable of allowing the total sliding of the gears relative to each other at a maximum distance equal to three times the tooth pitch with each rotation; appropriate sliding of the hub and the continuous gear relative to each other will also be allowed. It can be concluded that due to the formation of a larger or smaller number (with respect to the three shown) of the gear parts, more or less sliding will be allowed with respect to the aforementioned maximum slip.

 In FIG. 5 to 9 show a second embodiment of the inhaler of the present invention. This variant of the inhaler is intended for use with strip 201, which is identical to strip 1 used in the first embodiment of the inhaler, with the exception of the interval between the pockets, which will be discussed in more detail below. According to many characteristics, the second variant of the inhaler resembles the first variant, and that is why the components of the second variant, which in their functions and performance correspond to the same components of the first variant, are indicated by the same reference numerals in the above-mentioned drawings, but with the addition of the corresponding figure 200. The main difference between the first and second variants of the inhaler is that in the second embodiment of the inhaler there is no gear wheel indicating mechanism corresponding to the wheel 16 according to the first variant the. In the second embodiment, the indication of the strip 1 as a result of each operation of the operation of the lever at a distance equal to the pitch of the pockets is achieved through the use of an elastically flexible shoulder 250, which ends in the tooth 252, which engages adjacent pockets. Each time the lever 224 is actuated, the shoulder 250 will elastically lower so that the pocket can slip over the tooth 252, after which the tooth springs and returns to the working mesh with a strip from the back of the pocket that has just passed the tooth.

 It should be borne in mind that, as in the first embodiment, in the process of using the inhaler according to the second embodiment, the diameter of the winding sleeve of the cover plate 214 along with the cover plate wound on the sleeve will gradually increase. Since the safety friction clutch cannot be used in the second embodiment, the effect just described is compensated by the formation of an interval between pockets 2, which will gradually increase towards the rear end of the strip.

 Another difference between the first and second variants of the invention is that in the second embodiment, the chambers 211 and 212 form one complex camera, while in the first embodiment there are two individual cameras 11 and 12. However, this difference is not significant, since in the first embodiment it is possible use one complex camera, and in the second option use two individual cameras.

 In FIG. 10 to 12 show a third embodiment of the invention. In many respects, it is very similar to the second option, while the components of the third option, which in their functions and features correspond to the components of the second option, are indicated by the same reference positions, but with the addition of 300.

 One of the noticeable differences between the second and third variants of the invention is that instead of the sleeve 114 in the latter case, two wheels 314, a and 314, b are used, and the cover plate will be caught in the gap between these wheels 314, a and 314, b, which in this case act as a calender. To guarantee a more effective grip of the cover plate between these wheels, notches or other irregularities or roughness are formed on their surface. Used in this case, the cover plate is not wound, but fed directly into the chamber 313, so that in this embodiment of the invention there are no problems that are characteristic of the first two variants of the invention, that is, problems when, as the inhaler is used continuously, the sleeve is wound up gradually large lengths of the covering plate.

 In FIG. 11 shows a mouthpiece that has a slightly different construction compared to the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 4a and 4b. The mouthpiece shown here has a single air inlet 340 (instead of two air inlets 140), and the one shown in FIG. 4a, b, the outlet for the powdered substance 119 in the third embodiment is replaced by a part of the mouthpiece 319 of reduced width. However, it must be borne in mind that shown in FIG. 10 12 the device can be modified so that it can use a mouthpiece, which will be more similar to the mouthpiece shown in FIG. 4, a, b.

 In FIG. 10 shows an inhalation device provided with a hinged lid 360, which lid can be shared with any of the first two variants of the invention. In FIG. 12 shows an inhaler provided with a window 370 through which the indications printed on the strip can be seen. Printing on a strip of numbers or other indications that are directly related to the number of pockets of which the powder has already been used up or which should only be consumed by the powder, allows the user to have some indication of how many doses of medicine have already been used up and how much is left. For the same purpose, you can use a special dose counter that will function using one of the rotating components of the inhaler. It should be borne in mind that such indications and means for visually reproducing these indications can be installed and used in all variants of the invention.

 In FIG. 13 to 16 show a fourth embodiment of the invention. According to the principle of operation, it is identical to the first embodiment, and those components of the fourth embodiment of the invention that generally correspond to the components of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, but with the addition of the number 400.

 As in the first embodiment of the invention, the inhaler according to the fourth embodiment accepts a flexible strip, which in this case is indicated by the number 401, consisting of a main plate 403, in which pockets 402 are formed, and a covering plate 404. This strip 401 is shown clearly and clearly in FIG. 39. The cover plate 404 has a loop 404, a, formed at the leading end of the plate for engagement above the vertical strut 471, a, extending vertically upward from the gear 471 (more will be described below). The main plate is provided with a leading part 403, and a reduced width for engagement in the cutout 470, and formed in the winding wheel of the main plate 470 (more will be described below). The leading end parts of the main and covering plates are not sealed together, which is clearly seen in FIG. 39.

 The housing 410 consists of a base 410 and a top part 410, b, both of which have a generally circular shape. After the final assembly of the inhaler, the base and the upper part fit tightly to each other with the formation of a single, solid structure. In the housing there is a single inner chamber, inside of which is strip 401, and also there is a sleeve 414 for winding the used part of the cover plate 404, a gear wheel for winding the main plate 470 and a gear wheel of the indicating mechanism 416. The gear wheel 416 is hollow and has a ratchet indication mechanism wheel 422. All the gears mentioned above are mounted in a chamber, the contours of which are defined by the inhaler body, and they all rotate relative to Orpus inhaler. A dog 470, b is attached to the housing 410, which engages with the teeth of the wheel for winding the main plate 470 to prevent this wheel from rotating counterclockwise to ensure that the strip 401 only moves forward through the inhaler.

 The winding gear of the cover plate 414 is formed of two parts, namely, a gear wheel 471 with teeth 472 and a shaft 473, and a compressing wheel 474 has a hollow central shaft and a plurality of elastic shoulders 476 that extend from the central shaft 475 at some angle to radius; in FIG. 16 shows 8 such shoulders. Gear 471 has a protrusion 477, which is included in the corresponding recess located on the shaft 475, which guarantees the rotation of the wheels 471 and 474 in unison.

 The hollow gear of the indicating mechanism 416 has external teeth 478 that engage with the teeth of the winding wheel of the main plate 470 and with the teeth of the wheel 471. Ratchet teeth 479 are formed on the inner walls of the gear 416, and the ratchet of the indicating mechanism 422 is provided with two dogs 480, which include in working gear with ratchet teeth 479.

 The inhaler also contains a lever 424, consisting of an arched wall 481 with a finger-shaped protrusion 482 and a shoulder 483, which extends inward from the wall 481 and is provided with arched teeth 484 (at the far end of the shoulder). The lever is pivotally mounted in the center of the base 410, a, so that it can rotate around an axis that is located in the center of the initial circumference of the teeth 484, and these teeth 484 are engaged with the teeth 485 located on the ratchet wheel of the indicating mechanism 422.

 A nozzle 486 provides communication between the chamber inside the housing 410 and the mouthpiece 420. This nozzle has an outlet for powder 419, and is also provided with a channel 487 through which the used cover plate 404 is allowed to pass to the compressing wheel 474. Optionally, for directing the movement of the plate 404 into said channel 487 it will be possible to install a special roller 488.

 The dosing monitor ring 489, provided with teeth 490, is rotatably mounted inside the base 410a. On its lower surface there are indications (not visible in the drawings) that the user can see through the window 494 located in the housing 410. In FIG. 17-19 it is clearly seen that the said window can be used both in the case of closing the lid 491 (see below), and when it is open. These indications accurately or approximately indicate the number of remaining doses of the drug (or the number of doses used). Ring 489 rotates due to the fact that its teeth 490 are engaged with the teeth 478 of the gear of the indicating mechanism.

 The inhaler is provided with a cap 491, which is pivotally mounted on the housing 410 with the help of the protrusion 492 located on the upper part of the housing 410, b, and the corresponding protrusion 493 located on the base of the housing 410, a. This cover can be rotated between the open position (see Fig. 14), in which the mouthpiece is exposed, and the closed position, in which this does not happen, which will be discussed in more detail below.

 In the process of practical use of the inhaler, the user sets the cover in its open position, and then presses on the finger-shaped protrusion 482 of the lever 424 to move it at the moment of rotation of the lever. This causes the ratchet of the indicating mechanism 422 to rotate, which also causes the gear of the indicating mechanism 416 to rotate through the dogs 480. The rotation of the gear of the indicating mechanism 416 causes the winding wheel of the main plate 470 and the winding wheel of the cover plate 414 to rotate, as a result of which the main plate can separate from the cover plate at a distance that will be enough to expose the previously closed pocket 402, located opposite the end of the outlet for powder 419, located in the pipe 486. Now the patient can inhale the drug through the mouthpiece as in the previous options.

In FIG. 17 to 19 show successive steps of an inhaler. In FIG. 17, the inhaler is shown in its closed position. The finger-shaped protrusion 482 of the lever 424 at this stage is located in the recess 482, b formed in the housing 410 (more clearly shown in Fig. 18, a and 18 b). At the moment of rotation of the housing 410 in a counterclockwise direction, the lid 419 is held in a stationary position and 410 are formed on the periphery of the housing, c, to allow the user to insert his finger into this recess. As a result of this movement, the inhaler is set in a partially open position, as shown in FIG. 18. During this stage, the lever 424 remains stationary relative to the cover 491. This condition is achieved due to the fact that the lever is provided on the inside with an elastic shoulder 424, a, the tip 424, of which is included in the recess 491, a located on the cover 491 The arm 424, a is attached to the arm 424 using a cylindrical member 424, c. As is clear in FIG. 17, and the shoulder 424, a extends counterclockwise from element 424, c over an arc of approximately 90 ^° . Cutout 410, d extends through an arc of approximately 180 ^o . In FIG. 17, element 424, c is shown approximately halfway along its length. In FIG. 18, and the same element is shown at one end.

 The user continues to rotate the housing 410 from the position shown in FIG. 19 to the position shown in FIG. 18, c. During this rotation step, the tip 424, b of the shoulder 424, a exits the recess 491, a. This is because, when the element 424, c is located at one end of the cutout 410, d, the movement of the housing 410 moves the element 424, c together with the housing in a counterclockwise direction, and therefore causes the shoulder 424, as well as to move counterclockwise. The user then moves the lever 424 by pressing on the finger-shaped protrusion 482 to make it rotate counterclockwise through the position shown in FIG. 18b to the position shown in FIG. 19, where the finger-shaped protrusion 482 re-enters the recess 482, b. The steps described above will not only expose the mouthpiece 420, but also open the next pocket. Therefore, the inhaler is now ready to perform its main function, that is, the user can inhale the next dose of medication.

 After the next use of the inhaler, the case 410 rotates clockwise, and the lever 424 moved in unison with the case returns the inhaler to the position shown in FIG. 17, a.

 It should be borne in mind that the collapsing wheel 474 actually performs the function of the clutch, which is used in the first embodiment of the invention. As the cover plate is further wound onto the wheel 474, the shoulders 476 will gradually bend inward, as a result of which the outer diameter of the coil of the wound cover plate is kept substantially constant, while the inner diameter of the same roll will gradually decrease.

 Instead of gear 414, together with its collapsible ring 474, an alternative design shown in FIG. 33, or the structure shown in FIG. The principle of operation shown in FIG. 33 of the device is very reminiscent of the principle of operation of the clutch shown in FIG. 28 32. The shown in FIG. 33, the structure comprises two main components 800 and 801. Component 800 consists essentially of a cylindrical hollow body 802 that is open at its lower end, and of three arcuate tooth sections 803. The cylinder 802 is provided with a cutout 804 that extends through the upper part or the surface of the cylinder, as well as the strut 805 for receiving the leading end of the covering plate. Component 801 comprises a disk 806 provided with three arcuate tooth sections 807, and a vertical element 808 extending vertically upward from the disk 806. The element 808 is made of a material, such as plastic, which is characterized by increased torsional elasticity.

 The two mentioned components 800 and 801 are firmly connected together so that the upper end of the element 808 fits into the cutout 804 and cannot rotate relative to this cutout. The tooth sections 803 and 807 are coplanar and alternate with respect to each other. The teeth 803 and 807 mesh with the teeth 478 of the gear of the indicating mechanism. Each tooth section 807 is separated from one of the adjacent sections 803 (but not from the other section) by a gap equal to one tooth. Therefore, in this case, there are three gaps around the entire circumference of the assembled sections, and the size of each gap is equal to the width of one tooth. Since the element 808 can bend during torsion, the disk 806 can freely move back and forth between the position in which each of the gaps is located on one side of the corresponding section 807, and the position in which each of the gaps is located on the other side of the corresponding section 807. Similar arrangement forms the sliding effect of the structure shown in FIG. 33, relative to the gear of the indicating mechanism.

 Shown in FIG. 34 design is a safety friction clutch. This coupling consists of two components 810 and 811, which are firmly interconnected. Component 810 comprises a generally cylindrical body 812 open at its lower end and provided with a vertical strut 813 for receiving the leading end of the cover plate. The interior of the housing 812 is provided with longitudinally extending teeth 814, which are clearly shown in FIG. 35. Component 811 comprises a cylinder 815 that extends vertically upward from a disk 816 provided with teeth 817. The teeth 817 engage with the teeth 478 of the wheel of the indicating mechanism. On the outer surface of the cylinder 815 there are two sharp protrusions 818, which are in "interfering" engagement with the gears 814. If the rotational force exerted by the component 811 on the component 810 is below a predetermined level, then these components rotate together. However, the cylinder is made of a material, such as plastic, which can be deformed in the radial direction, and if the rotational force exceeds a predetermined level, then such deformation occurs that allows the angular protrusions 818 to move over the gears 814.

 Although in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 13-16, both with and without those shown in FIGS. 33 and 34 modifications, the main plate is wound as well as the cover plate, however, in this case there is no need to use a friction clutch or other similar mechanism between the gear of the indicating mechanism and the winding gear of the main plate. The diameter of the winding gear of the main plate is selected so that initially the main plate is wound only very weakly, and the winding density of this plate will gradually increase, but this winding density will never reach an unacceptable level. Theoretically, the main plate can be wound using a safety friction clutch with a sufficiently high degree of accuracy, while the cover plate is always wound only weakly. However, in practice, with a high degree of accuracy, it is much easier to wind the cover plate, since it is made flat and will be thinner compared to the main plate.

 In FIG. 20 to 23 schematically show the main working components of an inhaler that have much in common with similar components shown in FIG. 10 12, e.g. calender. Nevertheless, it should be borne in mind that in FIG. 20 23 not all of the inhaler is shown, for example, the camera for the unused strip and for the main plate used is not shown in these drawings. The components of the embodiment of FIG. 20 23, which according to their main characteristics correspond to the components of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 10 12 are denoted by the same reference position, but with the addition of the number 500.

 Shown in FIG. 20 23 the inhaler contains two gears 514, a and 514, b, which are equipped with engaging teeth and which act as a calender that engages the used coating material. This material is fed into the chamber 513. The wheel 514 b is a “spurious” gear and it is forced into engagement with the wheel 514, a under the action of a compression spring 595, which acts on the holder 596, which supports the wheel 514, b. The wheel 514a is provided with a ring of gear teeth 598 that engage with the teeth 597 located on the gear of the indicating mechanism 516, the wheel 516 having the same indication function as the gear of the indicating mechanism 16 in the first embodiment of the invention and can rotate in a chamber 515. Said chambers are formed in a housing 510; lids 530, a and 530, b are attached to opposite ends of the chamber. Inhalation is carried out through the mouthpiece 520. The inhaler is triggered by the lever 524, which rotates the wheel of the indicating mechanism 516 through the shoulder of the pusher.

 Shown in FIG. 25 27 variant of the invention use a different type of calender, however, in this embodiment, both the cover and the main plate pass through the gears of the calender.

 Shown in FIG. 25 to 27 an embodiment of the invention comprises a housing 610 that defines the contours of a generally circular chamber 611 and which has lids 612, a and 612, b attached thereto. Inside the chamber 611, the wheel of the indicating mechanism 613, as well as the winding wheel of the main and covering plates 614, are mounted for rotation, while the wheels 613 and 614 are equipped with gear teeth that mesh with each other. The gear of the indicating mechanism 613 is provided with grooves 615, and the wheel of the gripper of the cover plate 618, which is rotationally supported in the holder 619, is mounted near the grooves 615 (below the pipe 616). Behind the pipe 616, a roller 620 is mounted, which will direct the movement of the cover plate.

 A flexible strip 601 is located in the chamber 611, the main part of this strip being initially wound around the inner wall of the chamber. The leading end of the strip extends between the guide elements 622 and 623 over a portion of the circumference of the gear of the indicating mechanism 613; on the strip there are pockets containing medicinal powder pockets entering the grooves 615. At the point where the strip meets the nozzle 616, the strip delaminates and the cover plate passes behind the nozzle and over the roller 620, while the main plate passes between the gear of the indicating mechanism and the nozzle. Outside the nozzle, both plates extend between the gear of the indicating mechanism and the gear of the grip device of the cover plate, where the grip takes place. The front end of the strip is fixed in the winding wheel of the main and covering plates.

In the process of using the inhaler, the strip 601 is advanced due to the rotation of the gear of the indicating mechanism and using the lever 624 through the shoulder of the pusher 626, which causes the corresponding rotation of the winding wheel of the main and covering plates. All this provides initially rather weak winding of the main and covering plates with a subsequent increase in winding density as the inhaler continues to be used, however, the increase in winding density should not exceed a predetermined level. At the point where the strip meets the nozzle 616, the main and covering plates are separated from each other, as a result of which a new pocket of the medicinal powder opens in the direction of the outlet for the powder 617. Inhalation is carried out through the mouthpiece 620
In FIG. 36 38 shows an embodiment of the invention including, as an additional sign of indication, which provides the user with necessary information regarding successive steps that the user must take to ensure normal operation of the inhaler. In addition to this indication device, the inhaler of this embodiment will generally be identical to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 3, whereby the same reference numbers are used to indicate corresponding identical components. However, it should be borne in mind that in FIG. 36 38 variant of the invention uses additional components that are not in the previous versions and which are more detailed will be described below.

 Shown in FIG. 36 38 the inhaler is provided with a cap 700, which is pivotally connected to the rest of the inhaler with the possibility of repeated movement around the axis 701. The gears 23 and 25 and related components are closed by the back wall 702. The back wall extends over the entire area of the back of the inhaler, however, in the drawings only a small part of it is represented. The lever 24 is provided with an arcuate extension 703, and a cam 704 is formed on the edge of this extension. On the extension 703 there are some indications in the form of instructions for the user. In this embodiment, these instructions are the following conventions: “OPEN COVER”, “PRESS BOTTON” and “INHALE”. If the lever 24 and, consequently, the extension 703 are in some specific positions, through the window 705 located on the rear wall 702 one can see the corresponding one of the mentioned symbols. The distal end of the extension 703 forms a button 706. At the end of the lever 24, which is remote from the extension 703, there is a tongue 707 that can rotate with the lever.

 In FIG. 36 the inhaler is shown at rest. Through window 705, the symbol "OPEN COVER" can be seen. If at this moment the patient opens the lid 700, then this action transfers the inhaler to the one shown in FIG. 37 position. In this case, you can see that the upper trailing edge of the lid has already hit the cam 704 and moved the extension 703 by an angle, which now makes it possible to see the symbol “PRESS THE BUTTON” through the window 705. If the patient presses the button 706, this causes the lever 24 to rotate, which actually leads to the opening of the container containing the powder, as already mentioned in connection with the consideration of the features of FIG. 1 to 3. The inhaler will now be in the position shown in FIG. 38, in which through the window 705 the symbol "INHALATE" is visible. It is perfectly clear that in FIG. 38 positions, the tongue 707 rotates vertically upward. Therefore, if the patient or just the user closes the lid after inhalation of the drug, the tongue 707 is impacted by the protrusion 708 located on the lower side of the lid, which protects the lever 24 along with its extension 703 to the position shown in FIG. 36, after which the symbol "OPEN COVER" reappears in the window.

 The inhaler device just described not only gives step-by-step instructions to the user and thereby reduces the risk of incorrect use of the inhaler, but also complicates the practical use of the inhaler by the patient in the wrong way, this is guaranteed due to the fact that the button 706 is no longer accessible after it is pressed once until the patient closes the lid, and then again does not open the lid.

 In all of the above embodiments of the invention reference is made to the mouthpiece. However, if the device of the inhaler was used for some other purpose, and not for intraoral inhalation, then it will be possible to use some other type of outlet, for example, a device for insertion into the nose.

Claims (25)

 1. Inhaler for use with a medicinal unit, consisting of two elements, sealed with the possibility of separation and having at least one container for medicinal powder, containing a housing made with a section for opening the container located in the area of the outlet, and with the possibility of interaction of the container with means for opening it, characterized in that the means for opening the container is configured to separate the elements of the container by peeling them from each other.  2. The inhaler according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the elements of the drug block is made in the form of a plate.  3. The inhaler according to claim 2, characterized in that each of the plates is made in the form of an elongated strip with containers with medicinal powder located along the entire length, while the inhaler is equipped with an indexing mechanism for sequentially indexing each container located in the area of the outlet.  4. The inhaler according to claim 3, characterized in that one of the plates, the main one, has many pockets, and the second is made in the form of a covering plate, with each pocket and the portion of the covering plate placed above it being made with the possibility of forming a contour of the corresponding container, and the means The container opening comprises a drive for separating the cover plate from the main one in the opening section.  5. The inhaler according to claim 4, characterized in that the actuator comprises an actuating means for separating the cover plate.  6. The inhaler according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the indexing mechanism comprises a gear wheel, on which grooves are made, mounted to interact with the drug block, the location and shape of the grooves corresponding to the placement and shape of the pockets of the drug block.  7. The inhaler according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the gear wheel of the indexing mechanism and the actuator actuating means for separating the cover plate are connected to each other with the possibility of their synchronous rotation.  8. The inhaler according to claim 7, characterized in that the gear wheel of the indexing mechanism and the actuator actuating means for separating the cover plate are connected to each other by means of a safety friction clutch.  9. The inhaler according to claim 8, characterized in that the safety friction clutch comprises a first gear element configured to rotate together with the gear of the indexing mechanism, and a second gear element configured to engage the first and rotate together with an actuating means for separating a covering plate, and on the gear surface of at least one of the elements made of the gear section, secured with the possibility of reciprocating movement in the circumferential direction phenomenon.  10. The inhaler according to claim 8, characterized in that the friction clutch contains a first element mounted to rotate with the gear of the indexing mechanism, and a second element mounted to rotate together with an actuator to separate the cover plate, one of the elements is made with an arcuate gear surface, and the second contains means made with the possibility of engagement or slipping relative to the arcuate gear surface in depending on the magnitude of the applied force.  11. The inhaler according to claim 5, characterized in that the actuating means for separating the cover plate comprises a sleeve having an outer surface for winding the plate, configured to change its diameter.  12. The inhaler according to claim 11, characterized in that the sleeve is provided with a plurality of elastically deformable petals, each of which is fixed with an angular offset relative to the radius.  13. The inhaler according to claim 3, characterized in that the indexing mechanism is configured to interact with the surface of the plate between adjacent pockets for their sequential location in the area of the outlet.  14. The inhaler according to claim 5, characterized in that the actuating means for separating the cover plate comprises two wheels configured to interact with each other and to translate the cover plate located between them.  15. The inhaler according to 14, characterized in that the surface of the wheels interacting with each other, made of gear.  16. The inhaler according to claim 4, characterized in that the actuator is arranged to provide movement of the cover and the main plate, their directions along the individual paths in the opening section, and is located behind the point of re-combining the paths after the opening section.  17. The inhaler according to clause 16, wherein the drive includes two gears mounted with the possibility of engagement with each other.  18. The inhaler according to claims 4 to 17, characterized in that it includes at least one chamber for receiving the elongated drug block in front of the opening section, as well as for receiving the main and covering plates after they are separated from each other.  19. The inhaler according to claim 18, characterized in that the drug unit and / or the main plate are configured to interact with elastic roll formers.  20. The inhaler according to claims 1 to 19, characterized in that it includes an indicator equipped with means for visual displaying instructions for successive steps of using the inhaler.  21. The drug unit, made in the form of a holder for use in an inhaler and holding containers for medicinal powder, characterized in that the holder is in the form of an elongated strip consisting of a main plate with many recesses forming containers for medicinal powder located along the plate with a fixed pitch relative to each other, and the covering plate, which is hermetically connected to the main plate with the possibility of separation by peeling them from each other.  22. The block according to item 21, wherein the sealed connection is made over the entire surface of the flat part of the main plate.  23. The block according to PP.21 and 22, characterized in that the strip is made of flexible material with the possibility of winding it into a roll.  24. The block of PP.21 to 23, characterized in that one of the ends of the strip additionally has a leading part containing sections of the main and covering plates that are not bonded to each other.  25. The block according to paragraph 24, wherein the leading part of at least one of the plates is equipped with means for fixing on the sleeve for winding.

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